Psalm 8 Verse-by-Verse

Welcome to the Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 8!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

Superscription (v. 1)

v. 1

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
1	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־הַגִּתִּ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	For the director. On the gittith. A psalm by David.

Expanded Paraphrase

For the director, on the gittith, a psalm by David to whose offspring YHWH promised to give universal dominion.

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v.1] <showGlosses="1">
    Fragment
      Clause
        Predicate
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase
              Preposition
                preposition: לַ for
              Object
                article: ה the <status="elided">
                Nominal
                  verb-participle: מְנַצֵּחַ director
    Fragment
      Clause
        Predicate
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase
              Preposition
                preposition: עַל on
              Object
                article: הַ the
                noun: גִּתִּית gittith
    Fragment 
      Nominal
        noun: מִזְמוֹר psalm
    Fragment
      PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="by David">
        Preposition
          preposition: לְ of >> by
        Object
          noun: דָוִד David 
  

Notes

• The word gittith (גִּתִּית) occurs in the heading of Psalms 8, 81, and 84. The meaning of this word is unknown. It might refer to the name of either a musical instrument or a tune from the Philistine city Gath. This view is supported by the Targum, כינורא דאייתי מגת (“the lute that he brought from Gath”) as well as by Rashi, כְּלִי זֶמֶר שֶׁבָּא מִגַּת (“a musical instrument that came from Gath”). Since David spent some time as a vassal of the king of Gath, he could have become familiar with the instrument or tune then. Some interpreters think the term גִּתִּית could actually be derived from the word גַּת meaning “winepress,” in which case the term גִּתִּית would refer to “the celebration of the grape harvest at the Feast of Tabernacles.” This view is supported by the LXX, ὑπὲρ τῶν ληνῶν (“over the wine vats”) and Jerome Gall. and Heb., Pro torcularibus (“for the winepresses”).

Introduction (vv. 2-3)

Verses 2 and 3 form the first section of the psalm. The main ideas of this section are: glory bestowed by God on the heavens; and a metaphor of strength through children.

v. 2

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
2a	יְהוָ֤ה אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ מָֽה־אַדִּ֣יר שִׁ֭מְךָ בְּכָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ	YHWH, our lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,
2b	אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּנָ֥ה ה֝וֹדְךָ֗ עַל־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃	you whose glory is bestowed on the heavens!

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH, our lord, you who are the great king over all creation and over your people, Israel, how majestic is your name in all the earth, you whose royal glory is bestowed on the heavens, on the sun, moon, and stars and other heavenly beings, on whom you have conferred some of your royal authority.

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v.2]
    Fragment 
      Clause
        Vocative
          Apposition
              Nominal
                noun: יְהוָה YHWH
                RelativeClause 
                  RelativeParticle 
                    particle: אֲשֶׁר who 
                  Clause
                    Subject
                      Clause
                        Predicate
                          verb-infinitive: תְּנָה is bestowed
                          Object
                            ConstructChain <gloss="whose glory">
                              noun: הוֹדְ glory
                              suffix-pronoun: ךָ you <located="relative clause head">
                    Predicate
                      Complement
                        PrepositionalPhrase
                          Preposition
                            preposition: עַל on
                          Object
                            article: הַ the
                            noun: שָּׁמָיִם heavens
              Nominal <gloss="our lord">
                ConstructChain
                  noun: אֲדֹנֵי lord
                  suffix-pronoun: נוּ us
    Fragment
      Clause
        Subject 
          Nominal  <gloss="your name">
            ConstructChain
              noun: שִׁמְ name 
              suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
        Predicate
          Complement
            adjective: אַדִּיר majestic
            adverb: מָה how
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase
              Preposition
                preposition: בְּ in
              Object
                article: הָ the
                noun: אָרֶץ earth
                quantifier: כָל all 
  

Notes

• The psalm begins by addressing YHWH in the second person. In fact, the entire psalm is addressed to YHWH in the second person.
• YHWH is identified as our lord. A "lord" (אָדוֹן) is someone who exercises authority over a people or place. Kings could be called "lords" (e.g., Gen 40:1; 1 Kgs 22:17; 1 Chr 12:20), and here in Ps 8:2 the title assumes YHWH's kingship; the word "majestic" (אַדִּיר) in v. 2a is used to describe the majesty of kings (e.g., Ps 136:18), as is the word "glory" (הוֹד) in v. 2b (e.g., Pss 21:6; 45:4).
• Following the opening address to YHWH is an exclamation; the particle How (מָה) here "functions as an introduction to an exclamation in which a speaker usually expresses a value judgment about something." The value judgment which the speaker expresses is that YHWH's name is majestic.
• YHWH's name (שֵׁם) is not only the word by which he is "known, addressed, or referred to," but also "the information generally known about him;" "name" (שֵׁם) can signify "the nature or attributes of the person named." Thus, to say that YHWH's "name" is majestic in all the earth is to say that YHWH is characterized by and known by his majesty which is on display throughout all the earth.

• The sphere of YHWH's lordship, in which his "majesty" is displayed, is all the earth.

• This is the first appearance of the word all (כֹּל), which appears four times in this psalm. It is used twice in the frame of the psalm to refer to the scope of God's dominion (vv.2b, 10b) and twice in the body of the psalm to refer to the scope of humanity's dominion (vv.7b-8a). Alter identifies כֹּל as "the chief thematic key-word of the psalm. [God's] dominion is over all, heaven and earth, angels and men and creatures of the field and air and sea, and he places 'all' at the feet of man."
• The grammar and meaning of v. 2b are one of the top three exegetical issues in this psalm. See The Text, Grammar, and Meaning of Ps 8:2b and watch this part of the exegetical issues video for a detailed discussion of the issue. In short, although the form תְּנָה (bestowed) looks like an imperative, it is probably an infinitive construct from the root נתן (lit.: "the bestowing of your glory is on the heavens"). While this view is not without problems, it seems to be the least problematic of the proposed options. The psalmist may have chosen the anomalous form for the sake of alliteration (compare תְּנָה and מָה) and/or to express the ongoing nature of YHWH's bestowal of glory on the heavens.
• YHWH's majesty is bestowed on the heavens. Other passages in the Bible talk about someone "bestowing" (נתן) "glory" (הוֹד) "on" (על) someone (e.g., Num 27:20 [Moses to Joshua]; Dan 11:21 [someone to new king]; 1 Chr 29:25 [YHWH to Solomon]; cf. Ps 21:6 [YHWH to king]). In each of these passages the phrase means "to confer or transmit authority," usually of a king/leader to another king/leader. Thus, it is used here to speak of "heaven as the bearer and manifestation of the divine majesty" and perhaps of the dominion which YHWH has given to the heavenly bodies (cf. Gen 1:16-18) or to divine beings. Some translate the phrase "above the heavens" (ESV) or "higher than the heavens" (NLT) instead of "on the heavens" Yet, given the clear and consistent meaning elsewhere of נָתַן הוֹד עַל ("bestow glory on someone") as well as the fact the heavens become the object of marvel in v. 4f (which assumes that they are glorious), the interpretation "on the heavens" is to be preferred. YHWH bestows "glory" (הוֹד) on the heavens (v. 2) just as he bestows "glory" (הוֹד) on humans (v. 6).
• The heavens (הַשָּׁמיִם) at the end of v. 2b is parallel with the earth (הָאָרֶץ) at the end of v. 2a. Together, the pair "heaven" and "earth" refer to the entire created world (cf. Gen 1:1) as the sphere of YHWH's lordship.

• Verse 2b is connected both to the previous line and to the following lines. As Waltke writes, "Verse 2b is a janus. It is linked to... 2a by an exceptional relative 'who,' by the Masoretic accents that retain the earliest known interpretation of the psalm, and by this parallelism: (A) I AM (B) how majestic is your name (C) in all the earth // (A') You who (B') place your splendor (C') upon the heavens." There are also sound correspondences that join v. 2b and v. 2a (shamayim // shimka; tenah // mah; adir // hod). At the same time, v. 2b is connected to the body of the psalm, introducing the theme of glory on the heavens (cf. v. 4f).

v. 3

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
3a	מִפִּ֤י עֽוֹלְלִ֨ים ׀ וְֽיֹנְקִים֮ יִסַּ֪דְתָּ֫ עֹ֥ז	Out of the mouths of nursing children, you have founded a fortress,
3b	לְמַ֥עַן צוֹרְרֶ֑יךָ	because of your adversaries,
3c	לְהַשְׁבִּ֥ית א֝וֹיֵ֗ב וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם׃	in order to put an end to a vengeful enemy.

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH, you are a king, whose people are under attack by an enemy, and kings build fortresses and fortifications to repel enemy attacks. And so, you have founded a fortress to protect your people and repel the enemy. This fortress is not built on the size of your people's army or on the eloquence of their orators. Instead, it is built out of the cries that come out of the mouths of nursing children who, as the weakest and most vulnerable of the human race, represent your people as dependent on you for protection. Through their humble cries for help, you have founded a fortress because of your adversaries, in order to put an end to a vengeful enemy.

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 3]
    Fragment 
      Clause
        Predicate
          verb: יִסַּדְתָּ you have founded
          Object
            noun: עֹז fortress
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="out of the mouths of nursing children">
              Preposition
                preposition: מִ out of
              Object
                ConstructChain
                  noun: פִּי mouth
                Nominal
                  verb-participle: עוֹלְלִים children
                Conjunction
                  conjunction: וְ and
                Nominal
                  verb-participle: יֹנְקִים nursing babies
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="because of your adversaries">
              Preposition
                preposition: לְמַעַן on account of
              Object
                ConstructChain
                  Nominal
                    verb-participle: צוֹרְרֶי adversaries
                  suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="in order to put an end to a vengeful enemy">
              Preposition
                preposition: לְ to
              Object
                Clause
                  Predicate 
                    verb-infinitive: הַשְׁבִּית to put an end to
                    Object
                      Nominal
                        verb-participle: אוֹיֵב enemy
                      Conjunction
                        conjunction: וּ and
                      Nominal
                        verb-participle: מִתְנַקֵּם avenger 
  

Notes

• The meaning of this verse is one of the top three exegetical issues. See The Meaning of Ps 8:3 and watch this part of the exegetical issues video for a detailed discussion of the issue.
• Verse 3 says that YHWH has founded a fortress (יִסַּדְתָּ עֹז). The previous verse depicted YHWH as a king, and kings would build fortresses and fortifications to protect their domains from attack (cf. 1 Kgs 9:15ff; 2 Kgs 20:20; 2 Chr 17:12).
• The word translated "fortress" (עֹז) normally means "strength," but here the verb יִסַּד requires us to understand עֹז as a physical structure ("strength">"stronghold").
• How has YHWH established a fortress to protect his people? The fortress comes out of the mouths of nursing children (מִפִּי עוֹלְלִים וְיֹנְקִים). This prepositional phrase is fronted for marked focus. In other words, YHWH has founded a fortress not by means of the powerful and eloquent, but by means of the helpless cries of the weakest and most vulnerable.
• Nursing children (עוֹלְלִים וְיֹנְקִים) represent the weakest and most vulnerable part of the human race (cf. 1 Sam 15:3; 22:29; Jer 44:7; Lam 1:16; Joel 2:16). The two nouns (lit: "children" and "nursing babies") are probably a hendiadys: "nursing children." In ancient Israel, "nursing children" may have included children up to three years of age.
• The parallels between vv. 2-3 and vv. 4-5 suggest that the nursing children (v. 3) stand figuratively for all of humanity (v. 5), of which they are the weakest part. Thus, "we may take 'babes and infants' as a metaphor for the weak and inherently helpless condition of human beings." More specifically, the nursing children may be an image of Israel and her kings.
• Mouth (פִּי) is metonymic for speech. It is through the helpless cries of children (i.e., through the desperate prayers of his people) that YHWH protects his people.
• Why has YHWH founded a fortress? According to v. 3b, YHWH has founded a fortress because of (לְמַעַן) his adversaries (צוֹרְרֶיךָ). YHWH's "adversaries" may be either "historical persons and nations (Ps 2:1-3) or mythological beings and disruptive cosmic forces (Pss 74:13; 89:10; 93:3)." Those who argue for the latter think that "the enemy and avenger in v. [3]c are best explained as a reference to the foes that God overcomes in the process of creation." Those who argue that the adversaries are human and historical point to the use of the phrase "your adversaries" (צֹרְרֶיךָ) in Ps 74:4 and "vengeful enemy" (אויב ומתנקם) in Ps 44:17 to refer to Israel's enemies along with the fact that "here, as throughout the psalms, the psalmist is fluidly able to identify personal enemies with those hostile to God" (cf. Ps 2:3). This view is probably correct, and the enemies probably refer to the enemies of God's people.
• The next line (v. 3c) continues to explain why YHWH has founded a fortress: in order to put an end to a vengeful enemy. Translations such as "silence" (NIV, NLT, NRSV; cf. CEV) and "still" (ESV) may be too weak. A better rendering might be "stop" (GNT), or, even better: "put an end to" (NET, JPS85; cf. LXX αναλυειν ["put down" NETS]).
• The phrase vengeful enemy (אוֹיֵב וּמִתְנַקֵּם) (lit. "the enemy and the avenger" [ESV]) is probably, like "nursing children," a hendiadys ("the vindictive enemy" [NET]).
• The whole verse is aptly summarised by Waltke: "The petition and praise of the meek withstand the assault of I AM's enemies against them. In sum, through the grateful praise of I AM's dependent people – not the rhetoric of eloquent orators – I AM commences his work of defending them and of slaying their attackers."

Question (vv. 4-5)

Verses 4-5 are bound together as a single syntactic unit; v. 4 is the protasis ("when..."), and v. 5 is the apodosis ("then..."). These two verses share a similar theme: the apparent insignificance of humanity (v. 5) compared with the heavens (v. 4). This section (vv. 4-5) is parallel to the previous section (vv. 2-3); both move from the heavens above (v. 2b // v. 4) to weak humans below (v. 3 // v. 5).

v. 4

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
4a	כִּֽי־אֶרְאֶ֣ה שָׁ֭מֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂ֣י אֶצְבְּעֹתֶ֑יךָ	When I see your heavens, that which your fingers made,
4b	יָרֵ֥חַ וְ֝כוֹכָבִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כּוֹנָֽנְתָּה׃	the moon and stars which you have established,

Expanded Paraphrase

When I look up at the night-time sky and see your heavens, that which your fingers made, the moon and stars which you have established, I am awestruck by the glory and power which you have bestowed on the heavenly realm [v. 2b] and I think.

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 4]
    Fragment
      Conjunction
        conjunction: כִּי when
    Fragment
      Clause
        Predicate
          verb: אֶרְאֶה I see
          Object
            Apposition
              ConstructChain <gloss="your heavens">
                noun: שָׁמֶי heavens
                suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
              Apposition
                ConstructChain <gloss="that which your fingers made">
                  noun: מַעֲשֵׂי works
                  ConstructChain
                    noun: אֶצְבְּעֹתֶי fingers
                    suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
                Nominal
                  Nominal
                    noun: יָרֵחַ moon
                  Conjunction
                    conjunction: וְ and
                  Nominal
                    noun: כוֹכָבִים stars
                    RelativeClause
                      RelativeParticle
                        particle: אֲשֶׁר which
                      Clause
                        Predicate
                          verb: כּוֹנָנְתָּה you have established
                      	 Object <located="relative clause head"> 
  

Notes

When I see your heavens... Image from the European Space Agency, taken using the Hubble Space Telescope.

• Verse 4 is a dependent temporal clause: When I see... The next verse (v. 5) constitutes the "then" clause: "When I see... [then I think/exclaim] what is mankind...?
• The phrase your heavens" (שָׁמֶיךָ) refers to "the heavens which you created." The pronominal suffix on שָׁמֶיךָ (your heavens) is unusual (cf. Lev 26:19; Deut 28:23; 33:28; Ps 144:5). Because "your heavens" sounds unnatural in English, translations often have "the heavens."
• The fact that the sun is not mentioned suggests that David is gazing at the night sky. In the ancient world, stars were associated with divine beings and some people worshipped the moon and stars (cf. Deut 4:19; 17:3). Here, they are called that which your fingers made (so NET; literally "the work of your fingers" [NIV, NLT]).

v. 5

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
5a	מָֽה־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ כִּֽי־תִזְכְּרֶ֑נּוּ	what is mankind that you should consider them,
5b	וּבֶן־אָ֝דָ֗ם כִּ֣י תִפְקְדֶֽנּוּ׃	or a human being, that you should be mindful of him?

Expanded Paraphrase

"What is mankind that you should consider them, or a human being, that you should be mindful of him?" Whereas the heavens and the creatures in them are glorious and powerful, humans are weak and helpless. Why should you pay attention to us?

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 5]
  Fragment
      ClauseCluster
        Clause
          Subject
            noun: אֱנוֹשׁ mankind
          Predicate
            Complement
              noun: מָה what
          SubordinateClause
            Conjunction
              conjunction: כִּי that
            Clause
              Predicate
                verb: תִזְכְּרֶ you should consider
                Object
                  suffix-pronoun: נּוּ him
        Conjunction
          conjunction: וּ and >> or
        Clause
          Subject
            ConstructChain <gloss= "human being">
              noun: בֶן child
              noun: אָדָם human
          Predicate
            Complement
              noun: מָה what <status="elided">
          SubordinateClause
            Conjunction
              conjunction: כִּי that
            Clause
              Predicate
                verb: תִפְקְדֶ you should be mindful of
                Object
                  suffix-pronoun: נּוּ him 
  

Notes

• The rhetorical question at the center of the psalm, what is mankind...? (מָה אֱנוֹשׁ), echoes the rhetorical question at the beginning and end of the psalm, "how majestic...!" (מָה אַדִּיר). But whereas the rhetorical question in v. 2 and v. 10 conveys a positive value judgment about YHWH's majesty, the rhetorical question in v. 5 conveys a negative value judgment about humanity. Compare, for example, 2 Kings 8:13, which has a similar syntactic structure and tone: "What is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?" (ESV).
• The כִּי clause in both v. 5a and v. 5b–that you should... (NLT, NET, NEB)– indicates result.
• The two yiqtol verbs–"that you should consider... be mindful of–are habitual. "The two imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 describe God’s characteristic activity" (NET).
• "With God as Agent, פקד [be mindful of] expresses an intense personal attention, including careful inspection, which triggers appropriate action, whether positive (i.e., assistance) or negative (i.e., punishment)."
• The rhetorical question which concludes the first half of the psalm (vv. 2-5) is answered in the second half of the psalm (vv. 6-9).

Answer (vv. 6-9)

• Verses 6 through 9 work together to form the answer or response to the question posed in the previous section. The answer comes in two parts: Mankind is crowned with honor and majesty; and God has placed everything under his feet.
• Verses 6-7 are bound together by similar syntax (the use of 2ms yiqtol verbs with he suffixes), a similar theme (the exaltation of humans), and the alternating sequence of lines that begin with tav and kaf.

• The list of animals in verses 8 and 9 ties into another of the top poetic features in this psalm, discussed in our poetic features video. Ps 8:8-9 lists three basic categories of animals: (1) land animals, domestic and wild (v. 8), (2) birds (v. 9aα), (3) fish (v. 9aβb). This taxonomy closely resembles the list of animals in Gen 1:26-28, though the two passages use slightly different terminology (עוף vs צפור for "birds" and בהמות שדי vs חיה for "wild animals"): (1) land animals, domestic and wild (2) birds, (3) fish. The parallels between Gen 1:26-28 and Ps 8 lead Waltke to conclude that "Psalm 8 is Genesis 1:26-28 set to music." Similarly, Gentry says that Ps 8:6-9 is "a word-by-word commentary and meditation on Genesis 1:26-28." There are some slight differences between the two lists, however. Some of the terms used for wild animals (בַּהֲמוֹת) and birds (צִפּוֹר) in Ps 8 are normally used for domestic creatures, and these words may have been chosen in order to affirm the fact that these creatures are subject to humans.

• Verses 8-9 are bound together by similar syntax (appositional noun phrases), similar content (animals), and an alternating sequence of lines that begin with tsade and ayin/gimal, just as the lines in vv. 6-7 begin with a patterned series of consonants.

v. 6

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
6a	וַתְּחַסְּרֵ֣הוּ מְּ֭עַט מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים	And you caused him to lack being a heavenly being by a little,
6b	וְכָב֖וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר תְּעַטְּרֵֽהוּ׃	and you crowned him with honor and majesty.

Expanded Paraphrase

And yet you created humans as your image, and, in so doing, you caused him to lack being a heavenly being who live in the heavens at which I am gazing and on whom you have conferred glory [v. 2] by only a little, and whereas kings normally choose powerful and impressive representatives for themselves, you have chosen weak and unimpressive humanity, and you crowned him like a king with royal honor and majesty and so gave him the right to rule over your creation.

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 6]
    Fragment 
      Conjunction
        conjunction: וַ and
    Fragment
      ClauseCluster
        Clause
          Predicate
            verb: תְּחַסְּרֵ you caused to lack
            Object
              suffix-pronoun: הוּ him
            SecondObject <status="alternative">
              noun: מְּעַט a little
            Adverbial
              noun: מְּעַט little >> by a little
            Adverbial
              PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="being a heavenly being">
                Preposition
                  preposition: מֵ from
                Object
                  noun: אֱלֹהִים being a heavenly being
        Conjunction
          conjunction: וְ and
        Clause
          Predicate
            verb: תְּעַטְּרֵ you crowned
            Object
              suffix-pronoun: הוּ him
            Adverbial <gloss="with honor and majesty">
              Nominal
                noun: כָבוֹד honor
                Conjunction
                  conjunction: וְ and
                noun: הָדָר majesty 
  

Notes

• The wayyiqtol verb And you caused him to lack (וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ) should probably be interpreted as past tense, as most translations have done.
• The evidence from Ecclesiastes 4:8 (the only other instance of the verb חסר in the piel stem) suggests that the verb וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ means you caused him to lack, and that which is lacking is indicated by the min prepositional phrase מֵאֱלֹהִים.
• If the previous point is correct, then the min prepositional phrase, from (being) a heavenly being (מֵאֱלֹהִים) "is neither comparative... nor partitive... but, seeing that אלהים is never used in an abstract manner so as to be equivalent to divine essentiality, negative... so that אלהים is equivalent to מהיות אלהים, cf. 31 in 1 Sam 15:23, מעם in Isa 7:8."
• The meaning of the word אֱלֹהִים ("God," "angels," or heavenly being?) is a top exegetical issue, discussed in detail The meaning of אלהים in Psalm 8:6 here and in our issues video exegetical issues video. In short, while many translations interpret אֱלֹהִים as a third person reference to "God"/"YHWH", this interpretation is unlikely because YHWH is the second person subject of the verb. "Although Hebrew poets frequently shift their perspective from direct address to God to indirect statements about God, they do not normally alter their stance in the same clause." Instead, אֱלֹהִים in Ps 8:6 is probably a "generic term for a supernatural being." It refers to that class of beings which occupy the heavenly/spiritual realm (as opposed to the earthly realm), i.e. "superhuman beings including God and angels."
• The meaning of Ps 8:6a is captured well by Wilson: "God has bestowed the highest possible honor on an earthly creature by creating them only a little less elevated than beings that occupy the heavenly sphere." In what respect is man lower than these beings? "The writer has only this one thing in his mind, that man is inferior to God, who is רוּח, and to the angels who are רוּחות (Isaiah 31:3; Hebrews 1:14) in this respect, that he is a material being, and on this very account a finite and mortal being." "In his mortality and weakness the human being stands in antithesis to God (cf. Num 23:19f.; Isa 31:3), but in his role of ruler he approximates a heavenly being."

• The following yiqtol verbs–You crowned him... you caused him to rule (תְּעַטְּרֵֽהוּ / תַּ֭מְשִׁילֵהוּ) may be present/timeless, future, or past. The h-suffix indicates that these are short yiqtols, which are (past) perfective.
• The past actions recited in vv. 6-7 refer to the time when YHWH created humans as his image and gave them dominion over his creation (see Gen 1:26ff).
• The wearing of a crown symbolizes the right to rule (cf. 2 Kgs 11:12; cf. 2 Sam 12:26-31). "In the psalms, as in the Egyptian pictures, the king is crowned directly by God (Pss 21:3b; 132:18; cf. also 89:39). The crown signifies the manifestation and completion of the king's election (cf. Pss 5:12; 8:5; 103:4)."
• Honor here refers to the "high position" which YHWH has granted humans and includes the "respect or reverence" given to those in such a position.

v. 7

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
7a	תַּ֭מְשִׁילֵהוּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣י יָדֶ֑יךָ	You caused him to rule that which your hands made.
7b	כֹּ֝ל שַׁ֣תָּה תַֽחַת־רַגְלָֽיו׃	You placed everything under his feet.

Expanded Paraphrase

You caused him to rule that which your hands made when you blessed him and told him to subdue the earth and rule over all of its creatures. Just as a conqueror's enemies are placed under his feet, so You placed everything under his feet.

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 7-8]
    Fragment 
      Clause
        Predicate
          verb: תַּמְשִׁילֵ you caused to rule
          Object
            suffix-pronoun: הוּ him
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase <gloss="that which your hands made">
              Preposition
                preposition: בְּ over
              Object
                ConstructChain
                  noun: מַעֲשֵׂי works
                  ConstructChain
                    noun: יָדֶי hands
                    suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
    Fragment
      Clause
        Predicate
          verb: שַׁתָּה you placed
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase 
              Preposition
                preposition: תַחַת under
              Object
                ConstructChain <gloss="his feet">
                  noun: רַגְלָי feet
                  suffix-pronoun: ו him
          Object
            Apposition
              Nominal
                quantifier: כֹּל everything
              Nominal
                Apposition
                  Nominal
                    noun: צֹנֶה sheep and goats
                    Conjunction
                      conjunction: וַ and
                    noun: אֲלָפִים cattle
                  Nominal
                    ConstructChain 
                      Nominal <gloss="all of them">
                        quantifier: כֻּלָּ all
                        suffix-pronoun: ם them
                Conjunction
                  conjunction: וְ and
                Nominal <gloss="even wild animals">
                  ConstructChain 
                    Nominal 
                      noun: בַּהֲמוֹת land animals
                      Adjectival
                        adverb: גַם even
                    Nominal
                      noun: שָׂדָי field 
  

Notes

• For the past tense interpretation of the verb you caused him to rule (תַּמְשִׁילֵהוּ), see the note on v. 6. The patient of the verb משל is very often indicated, as here, by a ב preposition (e.g., Gen 37:8; 45:8; Judg 9:2; Joel 2:17; etc.).
• The key word everything (כֹּל) is repeated now for the second time (see notes on v. 2). It is fronted for marked focus. YHWH has subjected absolutely everything to humanity's rule; no creature has been excluded.
• To place something (or someone) under someone's feet is an expression of authority and control. When the Israelites conquered the five Amorite kings, Joshua ordered his commanders to put their feet on the necks of the conquered kings. In Psalm 110, God says to the king, “Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies your footstool.”
• The mention of feet ties in with one of this psalm's top poetic features: "Throughout the first six verses of the poem, the poet has subtly woven in a motif of vertical descent: v.2c above heavens → v.4a heavens... moon and stars → v.6a but a little lower than heavenly beings → v.6b crowned them (a reference to the head) → v.7a hands → v.7b feet..." See more about this poetic feature in our From top to bottom poetic features video.

v. 8

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
8a	צֹנֶ֣ה וַאֲלָפִ֣ים כֻּלָּ֑ם	Sheep and goats and cattle – all of them,
8b	וְ֝גַ֗ם בַּהֲמ֥וֹת שָׂדָֽי׃	and even wild animals,

Expanded Paraphrase

You gave him dominion over domestic animals such as Sheep and goats and cattle – all of them, and not just domestic animals, but even wild animals,

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

See previous verse for diagram.

Notes

• The phrase בַּהֲמוֹת שָׂדָי (lit.: "land animals in the field") refers here to wild animals (GNT). "Given the juxtaposition (וגם [v. 8b]) of the taxon בהמות (label 3) in Psalm 8 to two domesticated land animal subclasses, and the fact that the habitat modifier שדי is used in labels for wild land animals but not in labels for domesticated land animals, the label בהמות שדי (label 3) must refer to wild land animals."
• The movement from domestic animals in the a-line to wild animals in the b-line continues the poetic feature mentioned in the previous verse. "Having descended to earth, the psalmist now changes directions and describes a horizontal vector that moves outward from human society: sheep and oxen → beasts of the field → birds → fish → whatever passes the paths of the seas."

v. 9

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
9a	צִפּ֣וֹר שָׁ֭מַיִם וּדְגֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם	birds in the sky and fish in the sea,
9b	עֹ֝בֵ֗ר אָרְח֥וֹת יַמִּֽים׃	that which traverses the paths of the sea.

Expanded Paraphrase

and not just land animals, but also birds in the sky and fish in the sea, that which traverses the paths of the sea.

As I, David, reflect on the universal dominion which you gave to humanity, I think about the universal dominion which you promised to my dynasty. You chose me, a lowly human, the least in my family, to rule over your people, Israel. My dynasty will last forever, and my descendant will reign until all his enemies are put under his feet.

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 9]
    Fragment 
      Clause
        Predicate
          verb: שַׁתָּה you placed <status="elided">
          Adverbial <status="elided">
            PrepositionalPhrase 
              Preposition
                preposition: תַחַת under
              Object
                ConstructChain <gloss="his feet">
                    noun: רַגְלָי feet
                    suffix-pronoun: ו him
          Object
            Apposition
              noun: כֹּל everything <status="elided">
              Nominal
                ConstructChain <gloss="birds in the sky">
                  noun: צִפּוֹר small bird
                  noun: שָׁמַיִם sky
                Conjunction
                  conjunction: וּ and
                Apposition
                  Nominal
                    ConstructChain <gloss="fish in the sea">
                      noun: דְגֵי fish
                      Nominal
                        article: הַ the
                        noun: יָּם sea
                  Nominal
                    Clause
                      Predicate
                        verb-participle: עֹבֵר that which traverses
                        Object
                          ConstructChain <gloss="the paths of the sea">
                            noun: אָרְחוֹת paths
                            noun: יַמִּים seas 
  

Notes

• The list of animals in this verse (birds... fish) continues the "horizontal vector that moves outward from human society: sheep and oxen → beasts of the field → birds → fish → whatever passes the paths of the seas."
• "In Israelite legal, narrative, and prophetic texts, animals are often recognized as being threats to human beings (e.g., Lev 26:22; Deut 28:26; 1 Kgs 13:24; 2 Kgs 2:24; Isa 18:6; Jer 15:3)." Thus, wild animals are sometimes used to depict the enemies of God's people (e.g., Pss 7:3; 10:9; 17:12; 22:13, 17, 22; 68:30; 80:14. In light of v. 3 (which is about YHWH subduing Israel's enemies), the picture of YHWH placing animals under humanity's feet may be a metaphor for YHWH placing Israel's enemies under her feet (cf. Ps 144:1-3).
• The word sea occurs twice in this verse. About half of the repeated words refer to the spheres of divine/human dominion (land [ארץ] x2, sky [שׁמים] x3, sea [יָם] x2). As with כֹּל (see above), the emphasis is on the universality of human/divine dominion. According to Genesis 1, God created the sky (שׁמים) on Day 2, and the land (ארץ) and seas (ימים) on Day 3. These three realms together make up the cosmos. When God creates humans on Day 6, he gives them dominion over the creatures in each of these three realms (‎Gen 1:26 – וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֙ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃).

Closing (v. 10)

Verse 10 serves as the closing to the psalm, with the repetition of, “How majestic is your name!” And so the psalm ends just as it began. And yet the same refrain which opened the psalm now takes on a new meaning. The Lord’s majesty is revealed in all the earth in a surprising way – in and through weak humans on whom he has chosen to confer glory and honor, through the likes of nursing children, whose cries to their creator and king serve to bring about an end to all chaos and disorder.

v. 10

v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
10	יְהוָ֥ה אֲדֹנֵ֑ינוּ מָֽה־אַדִּ֥יר שִׁ֝מְךָ֗ בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃	YHWH, our lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH, our lord, you are not like most lords who accrue glory to themselves and abuse their subjects. Instead, you share your glory with your subjects, and you demonstrate your power in weakness. how majestic is your name in all the earth.

Grammatical Diagram with Phrase-level Glosses

SimpleGrammar
DiscourseUnit [v. 10]
    Fragment 
      Clause
        Vocative
          Apposition
            noun: יְהוָה YHWH
            ConstructChain <gloss="our lord">
              noun: אֲדֹנֵי lord
              suffix-pronoun: נוּ us
        Subject
          ConstructChain <gloss="your name">
            noun: שִׁמְ name
            suffix-pronoun: ךָ you
        Predicate
          Adverbial
            PrepositionalPhrase
              Preposition
                preposition: בְּ in
              Object
                article: הָ the
                noun: אָרֶץ earth
                quantifier: כָל all
                  Nominal
                    article: הָ the
                    noun: אָרֶץ earth
          Complement
            adjective: אַדִּיר majestic
            adverb: מָה how 
  

Notes

• The last line of the psalm (v. 10) repeats the first line (v. 2a) verbatim: יְהוָה אֲדֹנֵינוּ מָה־אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ. This simple repetition is one of the psalm's top poetic features, discussed in our poetic features video. "A perfect circle is closed: the majesty of God, affirmed at the beginning, restated verbatim at the end, but with the sense accrued through the intervening eight lines of what concretely it means for His name to be majestic throughout the earth." The "sense accrued" throughout the psalm is surprising. The opening declaration of Yahweh's majesty (v. 2ab) is expounded, perhaps unexpectedly, with images of helpless children (v. 3) and frail humans (v. 5). When the same words are repeated in v.10, the meaning has developed in a surprising way: Yahweh's royal majesty is manifested in weakness.

Legends

Grammatical diagram

  Grammatical Diagram Legend

Visualization	Description
	The clause is represented by a horizontal line with a vertical line crossing through it, separating the subject and the verb.
	The object is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause. Infinitives and participles may also have objects. If the direct object marker (d.o.m.) is present in the text, it appears in the diagram immediately before the object. If the grammar includes a secondary object, the secondary object will appear after the object, separated by another vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause.
	The subject complement follows the verb (often omitted in Hebrew) separated with a line leaning toward the right. It can be a noun, a whole prepositional phrase or an adjective. The later two appear modifying the complement slot.
	When a noun further describes or renames the object, it is an object complement. The object complement follows the object separated by a line leaning toward the right.
	In a construct chain, the noun in the absolute form modifies the noun in the construct form.
	Participles are indicated in whatever position in the clause they are in with a curved line before the participle. Participles can occur as nominal, where they take the place of a noun, predicate, where they take the place of a verb, or attributive, where they modify a noun or a verb similar to adjectives or adverbs.
	Infinitives are indicated by two parallel lines before the infinitive that cross the horizontal line. Infinitive constructs can appear as the verb in an embedded clause. Infinitive absolutes typically appear as an adverbial.
	The subject of the infinitive often appears in construct to it. In this situation, the infinitive and subject are diagrammed as a construct chain.
	The object of the infinitive is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the infinitival clause.
	Modifiers are represented by a solid diagonal line from the word they modify. They can attach to verbs, adjectives, or nouns. If modifying a verb or adjective, it is an adverb, but if modifying a noun, it is an adjective, a quantifier, or a definite article. If an adverb is modifying a modifier, it is connected to the modifier by a small dashed horizontal line.
	Adverbials are indicated by a dashed diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. These are nouns or infinitives that function adverbially (modifying either a verb or a participle), but are not connected by a preposition.
	Prepositional phrases are indicated by a solid diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. The preposition is to the left of the diagonal line and the dependent of the preposition is on the horizontal line. They can modify verbs (adverbial) or nouns (adjectival).
	Embedded clauses are indicated by a "stand" that looks like an upside-down Y. The stand rests in the grammatical position that the clause fulfills. Extending from the top of the stand is a horizontal line for the clause. If introduced by a complementizer, for example כִּי, the complementizer appears before the stand. Embedded clauses can stand in the place of any noun.
	When clauses are joined by a conjunction, they are compound clauses. These clauses are connected by a vertical dotted line. The conjunction is placed next to the dotted line.
	Within a clause, if two or more parts of speech are compound, these are represented by angled lines reaching to the two compound elements connected by a solid vertical line. If a conjunction is used, the conjunction appears to the left of the vertical line. Almost all parts of speech can be compound.
	Subordinate clauses are indicated by a dashed line coming from the line dividing the subject from the predicate in the independent clause and leading to the horizontal line of the subordinate clause. The subordinating conjunction appears next to the dashed line.
	Relative clauses also have a dashed line, but the line connects the antecedent to the horizontal line of the relative clause. The relative particle appears next to the dashed line.
	Sentence fragments are represented by a horizontal line with no vertical lines. They are most frequently used in superscriptions to psalms. They are visually similar to discourse particles and vocatives, but most often consist of a noun phrase (that does not refer to a person or people group) or a prepositional phrase.
	In the body of the psalm, a horizontal line by itself (with no modifiers or vertical lines) can indicate either a discourse particle or a vocative (if the word is a noun referring to a person or people group). A discourse particle is a conjunction or particle that functions at the discourse level, not at the grammatical level. Vocatives can appear either before or after the clause addressed to them, depending on the word order of the Hebrew.
	Apposition is indicated by an equal sign equating the two noun phrases. This can occur with a noun in any function in a sentence.

Hebrew text colors
Default preferred text	The default preferred reading is represented by a black line. The text of the MT is represented in bold black text.
Dispreferred reading	The dispreferred reading is an alternative interpretation of the grammar, represented by a pink line. The text of the MT is represented in bold pink text, while emendations and revocalizations retain their corresponding colors (see below).
Emended text	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold blue text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
Revocalized text	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold purple text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
(Supplied elided element)	Any element that is elided in the Hebrew text is represented by bold gray text in parentheses.
( )	The position of a non-supplied elided element is represented by empty black parentheses. For example, this would be used in the place of the noun when an adjective functions substantivally or in the place of the antecedent when a relative clause has an implied antecedent.

Gloss text colors
Gloss used in the CBC	The gloss used in the Close-but-Clear translation is represented by bold blue text.
Literal gloss >> derived meaning	A gloss that shows the more literal meaning as well as the derived figurative meaning is represented in blue text with arrows pointing towards the more figurative meaning. The gloss used in the CBC will be bolded.
Supplied elided element	The gloss for a supplied elided element is represented in bold gray text.

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

Visualization	Description
	The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
	The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
	When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
	The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

Expanded paraphrase

(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)

Expanded Paraphrase Legend

Expanded paraphrase legend
Close but Clear (CBC) translation	The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text.
Assumptions	Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics.

Bibliography

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Whitekettle, Richard. 2006. “Taming the Shrew, Shrike, and Shrimp: The Form and Function of Zoological Classification in Psalm 8.” JBL 125: pp. 749-65.

Wilson, Gerald H. 2002. The NIV Application Commentary: Psalms. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Young, Dwight W. 1960. “Notes on the Root Ntn in Biblical Hebrew.” Vetus Testamentum 10, no. 4: 457–59.